Shuttle Contamination Modeling: Evolution of Ionized Shuttle Exhaust

摘要

We consider the evolution of ionized Shuttle exhaust. While the source of ionization is not treated, the subsequent evolution can be understood in a certain amount of detail. The fundamental conclusion are that: (1) Low-density ions expand with neutral exhaust for about 100 m where they go through a rapid transition to collisionless behavior and then are swept away (in the Shuttle frame of reference) by the magnetic field, and radially away from the Shuttle: neither the ambient ionosphere nor the geomagnetic field can significantly change this behavior. The details of the evolution can be affected by low-level (approx. 0.1 mV/m) parallel electric fields. The mirror force associated with the geomagnetic field is to weak to have any effect.